Brideside Shutdown Is Another Headache in a Bad Year for Weddings
Brenna Hogan got word in late October that the latte-colored satin bridesmaid gown she ordered from Brideside Inc. was ready. But her appointment to pick it up from a showroom in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood was quickly canceled. She didn’t hear from the wedding apparel retailer again until last week when the business emailed her that it had permanently closed, WSJ Pro Bankruptcy reported. Calls and emails about picking up the dress went unanswered, she said. As if weddings during a pandemic aren’t hard enough, Brideside’s sudden shutdown after eight years in business has become another headache for Ms. Hogan and other brides and bridesmaids trying to navigate nuptials amid restrictions on some businesses and social gatherings. Some customers who put down money were left scrambling after finding out their orders had never been placed with dress designers. They are disputing their Brideside credit- and debit-card charges, hoping to reclaim their money while trying to secure the same dress directly with the designer. Brideside said in its email to customers that with about two-thirds of weddings canceled this year and an uncertain 2021, its “chapter has come to an end.” Saying it wasn’t able to field inquiries, Brideside instead referred customers to more than a dozen of its dress designers.
